The Price of Delay
by SatelliteDreamer
Summary: His shortcomings are laid out before him in the form of his broken sister, he was too late before and he knows what he must do now if he ever wants her to hear his apology. One-shot.


**The Price of Delay**

"Cora." He very nearly conceals the desperation in his voice as he strains forward and the wires that are keeping him from healing slice into his wrist. His wounds are forgotten as he spews profanities and empty threats to whoever might be listening. He isn't above begging them, but he knows it won't help. "Cora, hold on." He lurches forward once more and the restrains dig deeper into flesh in time for him to feel the electric burn of someone down the hallway upping the voltage. His vision blurs and for a moment the girl on the floor not five feet away from him has blonde hair, instead of brown.

Erica. The alpha's thoughts are suddenly flooded with a hazy vision of the beta he lost, and he contains a cry of rage when he realizes he is failing her all over again. He was letting his pack down once more because he never can save anyone, not his family, not Laura, and not the kids he'd turned, the ones to whom he'd promised asylum. He can't even save _her_, his baby sister, the one person he'd sworn he would protect. What's left for him if he loses Cora?

The searing pain lets up and he draws a shaky breath. "Cora?" It has been an hour since she's last moved, and another before that since he's heard her speak. He hopes it's his hearing that's growing weak, now, and not the faint drumming of her heart. "Can you hear me?" The girl on the ground doesn't stir from her resting place in a pool of crimson blood. "I'm going to get you out, okay? You'll be…" He stops himself, setting his jaw. He can't finish that sentence; all Cora ever wanted was the truth and he would respect that now. No empty promises, not even in such dire straits. "I'm sorry." He hopes she knows he means it; that they all know how sorry he is. "Cora, if you can hear me can you just…" He rattles his restraints in frustration and breathes deep. "Cora. Please?" He wants her to open her eyes and tell him she forgives him. He wants to hear her say she understands; he wants her to lie to him.

But the pact to not give empty promises is reciprocal, and he knows he's being selfish and idealistic. How can she forgive him if he can't forgive himself? She has to know, though, she has to understand. "I'm so sorry. I need you to know that I didn't mean for it to happen. If I'd known she was the way she was I would have killed that bitch myself. Then, when it happened, I thought all of you were gone. If I had any idea you were alive— if I had thought you were out there I would have never stopped searching. I would have found you, Cora, and I would have protected you, both of you." He knows they're listening to everything, but he has rid himself of pride or ego because that's not what she needs right now. Cora has never demanded strength; she has enough of that on her own. Cora only needs honesty.

"I was too late, y'know. I didn't get to Laura until after… But that probably doesn't mean anything to you. I still let her die. I let them all die." She's silent, and he wonders if his efforts are in vain. "I just need you to hang on, okay. Scott and the others will get here and we'll figure something out." He wasn't lying now, he would find a way out of there; he just needed her to wait.

He's silent for a long time, the sound of gentle breathing his only companion, but then he hears it. The thumping of her heart skips then slows. He panics and screams her name, pulling against the restraints with new found strength. One hand rips free and he pauses, quieting himself. The room is silent, save for his own erratic heartbeat, and he waits on baited breath to hear the next thump. The sound doesn't return though, and he falls forward, hanging with one arm strapped behind him.

She is gone. He has failed.

He doesn't lift his eyes when the door creaks open and a figure steps into the dim light. "Derek?" Scott is too late, there is no one left to save. "Derek, c'mon man, we gotta go. Isaac is outside; we cut the power."

"Cora." He whispers, his gaze falling on her broken body. Scott moves for her but Derek's eyes shift red and he roars, breaking the restrains and falling to the ground. Before he can move, the door is opened once more and Scott is tossed to the side. One of the room's new occupants takes Derek's arms and holds him back, as if he has any fight left.

"Sorry about that." Kali is anything but apologetic as she nudges Cora's shoulder with her bare foot. She rolls to the side and a small radio is revealed. With a satisfied smirk, Kali crouches and presses play, filling the room with the sound of a recorded beating heart and weak breath. One glance at Cora corroborates what Kali is trying to show him. The young girl's skin is a deep grey blue and her eyes are open, wide and glassy, and she has the appearance of someone who has been dead for hours, rather than a few minutes. "We just needed to know who was coming to the party." Kali gestures to Scott, who is lying on the ground near the door.

The horror that floods his mind makes his stomach drop. Cora had been dead since he'd awoken the second time. He'd been calling out to her empty body; once again too late to explain himself to one of his fallen sisters. She died alone, the sound of his apology and encouragement never reaching her ears.

She still needs to know the truth; he _must_ tell her.

A red hue cancels out his green-blue eyes and claws dig into the floor. He rises and the alpha restraining him is joined by another. He knows he's outnumbered, but he only needs to kill one of them. Kali is enough, the rest don't matter.

In one swift movement he throws of the hands that are tugging at his arms and sharp teeth descend. His roar is the sound of an alpha scorned and it shakes the small, underground room. Kali seems surprised, but doesn't miss a beat in taking up a defensive stance on the other side of Cora's body. He leaps forward; fully aware of the fate he has accepted. He can't beat all of them, but if she pays and the rest of his pack gets away, it's worth it. Derek knows it's time for him to join his family, and he can only hope they'll have him.

After all, some apologies are best said in person.

* * *

_A/N: So this is a dark little unbeta'd one-shot I dreamed up and I can only hope I never see this happen on my tv screen. Feel free to let me know what you thought and if you'd be interested in reading some other, slightly less sad, multi-chapter Teen Wolf fan fiction that focuses on Isaac. Thanks for reading!_


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